Crimson Record Vol. 60, Issue 1 by The Crimson Record

theCRIMSONrecord summer duPont Manual High School | volume 60 issue 1 | august, 2011

THE CRIMSON RECORD CONTENTS AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 2

contents

Editor-in-Chief

Virginia Johnson

Design Director

NEWS

Micah McClain (Entertainment Editor)

Design Editors

3 New superintendent 3 “Movin’ Like Bernie” flashmob

STUDENT LIFE 4 Aquadro cat rescue

WELL-BEING 5 Eating for energy 5 Importance of breakfast 5 Staying hydrated

RAMPAGE 6 Field hockey 6 Taking football to the next level

ACADEMICS 8 Studying Journalism 8 Sunlight’s effect on test scores 9 Summer Reading

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7 Bright Eyes concert 10 Nevermore review 11 Deathly Hallows review 11 Bridesmaids review

STAFF

FROM THE EDITOR E

very year is our best year yet. Freshmen, your first year is going to be hard but worth it. Sophomores, you’re used to it now; you finally know your way around and you love it here. Juniors are transitioning into their upperclassmen roles (“Was I really that short?”) and you’re so much more confident than you used to be. Seniors are caught between the joy of being “on top” and the depressing realization that a year from now, they’ll no longer be a Manual student. I’m so glad to be back in school, honestly. Manual is a haven. It’s a place filled with great friends, great teachers, and so many people who care. I can list at least twentythree people who care about this school, and they’re all on The Crimson Record staff. These people have worked so hard to give you a great newspaper. They have given up their free time during the summer to work on this. They’re the ones who are making this year the best year The Crimson Record has ever had. Last year, when I was the Design Editor, I learned a lot about what keeps a group from it’s full potential. To make the newspaper duPont Manual deserves, everyone on staff has to be dedicated. We made a lot of improvements, but this year, we’re learning from everything we did wrong. We’re putting more dedication into copy editing; every story is proofread at least four times. We’re taking more photos; we have four photographers, which is four more than we had last year. We’re putting more manpower into design, so no byline is ever forgotten and every page is a work of art. Speaking of art: we have three VA students on staff to make beautiful art. But as talented as our staff members are, they’re not the only ones who make The Crimson Record a great publication; you are. You’re the ones we cover and you’re the people who make Manual a great school. Our mission statement is “to enlighten and delight” because it’s our job to inform you and make sure you enjoy yourself while doing so. Our staff does have one flaw: we’re not telepathic. We can’t automatically know what you want, so you have to tell us. You can contact us via our facebook page or email. Our email is crimsonrecord@hotmail. com, so be sure to tell us what you think. We’re going to have a great first year together. Read and enjoy!

Alexx Cooper Evelynn Wyatt

Photo Editor

Madison Wade

Photographers

Sadie Saylor Vickie Tang Taylor Swanson

Writing Editor Tian Chan

Copy Editor

Colleen Kidd Laura Anderson (Academics Editor)

Writers

Megan Lyvers (News Editor) Rachel Harris (Well-being Editor) Nikia White (Student Life Editor) Taylor Browning (Asst. Entertainment and Student Life Editor)

Kalen Winburn (Sports Editor) Meredith Bell (Sports Editor) Malesha Griffin Anna Dryden Juliette Rosado

Business Manager Devyn Nance

Ad Sales Team

Adauri Hall Amanda Rhodes

Advisor

Amy Ritchie

high expectations for

HARGENS Donna Hargens plans to improve JCPS schools. WORDS BY MEGAN LYVERS | PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE BATEMAN | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA

orth Carolina native Donna Hargens was named superintendent of JCPS on June 14th and took charge of the Jefferson County school district on August 1st. Hargens plans to get to the heart of the problem within the JCPS system by making her rounds to each of Jefferson County‘s 155 public schools. Hargens will get to know the faculty and students of each school and determine where the school needs improvements. She will mainly focus on the improvements of the schools deemed as “low-achieving”. Hargens believes that these under-performing schools need more support and encouragement from the JCPS school board. Recently, Hargens created the 90-day plan which outlines her priorities and her short and long term goals for JCPS. According to WFPL News Hargens stated, “We will update it (the plan) regularly and you will be able to see if these(goals) are complete, or in

progress, or still to be started.” The start of the school year is soon approaching and Hargens wants to make sure that the day goes smoothly. Hargens was recently approved a four-year contract plus benefits. She will make $3,000 more than the previous JCPS superintendent, Sheldon Berman. Hargens was allowed this contract because many JCPS students, teachers, and parents expect a lot out of her. Manual parent, Gina Reczek, said, “I hope that the new superintendent is willing to have our school system focus less on teaching to the test and more on student achievement.” Hargens plans to improve JCPS by focusing on student achievement. She will be put to the test as the 2011-2012 school year begins in August. Hargens will use each and every one of her past experiences and skills to take over the nation’s 31st-largest school district.

THE CRIMSON RECORD NEWS AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 3

“Movin’ Like Bernie” on Bardstown A facebook co-ordinated flashmob does not turn out as expected.. WORDS BY NIKIA WHITE | PHOTO BY VICKIE TANG | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

n Saturday July 9th, at least a few hundred Louisvillians gathered on the corner of Bardstown Road and Eastern Parkway to participate in the Movin’ Like Bernie flash mob that was set to take place at 7:00 PM that night. People from close cities, such as participant Crissa Candler, an 18 year old college student, decided to come and enjoy the flash mob. “I came because I wanted to learn how to do ‘the Bernie,’ and I also wanted to see people do it. It’s pretty exciting, since I saw the commercial with the guy in a flash mob on it, and I thought it’d be cool to see.” As more and more people arrived, some noticed that it didn’t really look like a flash mob. At about 7 PM when the music finally started, more people could be seen holding cameras and standing around than be seen actually doing the dance. “It was kind of stupid.” participant Matthew Dickerson (12, HSU) said. “I mean, as soon as the music started, people all started crowding around, holding cameras up trying to film it. But there were only like 3 people dancing. Then they started running [in] the streets, and people were blowing their horns, so that was probably the highlight of it all.” Some patrons believe the cause of the lack of dancing was due to the fact that the event was created and spread out on Facebook. “It was supposed to be random, you know? It was very obvious, people are standing all around, it wasn’t organized right.” Louisville resident Lana Phelts told. “This is disorganized because it was put out on Facebook. It wasn’t even supposed to be this many people, somebody leaked it, and it got out and so many people showed up. It wasn’t organized at all. The timing was all wrong.”

THE CRIMSON RECORD STUDENT LIFE AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 4

KITTEN CARE

Sara Aquadro and her family take care of stray kittens.

WORDS BY TIAN CHAN | PHOTOS BY SADIE SAYLOR | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

ara Aquadro (12, YPAS) and her family have a story to share. It all started when she realized the crimes being commited in McNeely Lake Park, right in her own neighborhood. Kittens were being abandoned by their owners right after their birth. However, Aquadro and her family have tried to give these cats a second chance. “A cat in the neighborhood had kittens under her shed, and something happened to the mom where she didn’t come back, so we tried to find those kittens homes,” Aquadro said. This was the first round of rescues the Aquadro’s took into their home. Many more have followed in the past two years. “There have been cats that were dumped because they had fleas, mites, or because they were sick, so if they’re still kittens we try to find them a home,” she said. “This cat was dumped just because he had bugs in his ears, which is easily curable--someone just didn’t

want to go through the problem of helping him,” Sara explains, while scratching behind the kitten’s furry, orange ears. To their knowledge, there has only been one cat adopted that did not have a receive the better life the family was hoping for. Aquadro explains that she put a kitten named Fleas on Craigslist to be adopted, as she had often done before. It landed in the hands of Alex Phelps. Aquadro later saw on the news that a cat killer had mutilated around 40 cats. She realized that is was Phelps--the same man that had earned the family’s trust and took Fleas into his home. Aquadro explains that because of the family’s devastation, their cat adoptions stifled for a few months, but now they’re back in business. Aquadro has saved 26 kittens so far. She is hoping that number will soon increase to 29. She has three kittens that are now up for adoption to a loving home.

THE CRIMSON RECORD WELL-BEING AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 5

breakfast the better

Eating breakfast is greatly beneficial to your health.

Eating For Energy Good choices mean good health. WORDS BY RACHEL HARRIS | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

ver feel sluggish or tired in the summer? Some may chalk it up to dehydration, and with good reason. In high temperatures, you can lose up to half a liter of water in just one hour of physical activity. But most people overlook the fact that what you eat can equally effect how you feel throughout the day. During the summer, there tend cravings for foods such as: steak,potato chips,or macaroni & cheese. Although these foods do have some nutritional value,they may leave you feeling bloated and lethargic. If you are looking to avoid that feeling, then turn to a salad or even a grilled chicken sandwich . Both options are filling and will give you long-lasting energy as opposed to a short-burst followed by a crash. Salads will meet your nutrition needs in various ways.Start with any variety of lettuce, which is low in calories and sodium.Then add on various nuts such as pecans,almonds or walnuts.Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and Mandarin oranges are delicious and will also add color and provide you with vitamin C, which is essential to your immune system.To add an extra measure of protein you can add chicken.Top it off with a salad dressing that is low in sugar and and fat.The key is to a healthy salad avoid toppings such as cheese and croutons,as they drastically increase your fat and carbohydrate intake. When looking for a cool summer treat, often the first thing that comes to mind is ice cream. Ice cream is usually not only high in sugar but also in fat. A just as tasty alternative is frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt has more minerals and nutrients than traditional ice cream.One important benefit of frozen yogurt is that it has 100 mg of calcium compared to the 85 mg that can be found in ice cream. Calcium is essential to building string bones and teeth and is a mineral that many teens are lacking. There are a number of frozen yogurt shops in the Louisville area including: Sweet Ceces ,Cefiore,32 Degrees Yogurt Bar, Menchies,Tcby, and even Baskin Robbins. Most of the shops allow you to add fruit toppings to your frozen yogurt.In doing so, you are not only adding extra flavor; but also vital antioxidants. They usually charge by the ounce, so if you are unable to finish it all just store in the freezer for later. Don’t settle for foods that will leave you feeling sluggish and tired later in the day. Anytime you feel slow or tired, remember : it could just be a reflection of you diet. Be sure to fill yourself with nutrient rich foods to get the energy you need to make it through the day.

WORDS BY RACHEL HARRIS | ART BY MADISON WADE | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

rowl! It’s only the beginning of second block and hunger has already kicked in. Chances are if you skip breakfast, this feeling is all too common. Regardless of how much others stress the significance of eating breakfast to us, for whatever reason it is overlooked. Perhaps its because you’ve overslept, maybe you're not hungry,or maybe simply don't like breakfast food. Whatever the case, keeping breakfast as a morning priority can be difficult, especially as a high school student. But the many benefits of the first meal of the day are not to be forgotten. By boosting your metabolism in the morning, you can maintain a healthy weight. Protein, which can be found in eggs and most meat, is a great way to boost you metabolism. Metabolism is essentially how your body converts foods to fuel and energy you can use.This hormone is responsible for how fast or slow you burn calories. Everyone’s metabolism

hydration

is different; therefore, some may never gain a pound while others seem to put on weight with every meal. Also breakfast can keep you full until lunch time and can help you make healthier choices in appropriate portions throughout the rest of your day.For example, chances are you won’t want two slices of pizza and a soda, but instead you will go for a sandwich and some fruit. If eggs,pancakes,or even cereal do not appeal to you, then don’t worry. Typical breakfast foods are not the only thing that will suffice when you wake up. Just remember eating something is better than nothing. If you are running late, just grab a granola bar, some yogurt, or whatever you may find in the fridge. So give breakfast a try, and I'm sure you will notice the difference. You don’t have to adhere to the traditional breakfast though. Do whatever works for you.

Water is everyone’s best friend.

WORDS BY TAYLOR BROWNING | ART BY MADISON WADE | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

his summer has been one of those moaning and groaning, let’s stay inside or go to the pool types of summers. Temperatures ranged from high 90s to 100, clothes sticking to your body, sweat dripping and unbearable just to step outside. It was this summer when a cold glass of water was needed. Staying hydrated is crucial when being out in the sun. This is because your body looses about 10 glasses of water a day. For example when you use the bathroom, sweat, talk, and breathe. On average a person would need 8 to 10 glasses of water to replace the water lost. However for athletes the amount of water they need is greater. Fall sports have been preparing for their season through this hot weather. Teams like football, soccer, and field hockey have been practicing at earlier times or later in the night to not play in the peak of the heat. When weather is above 95 degrees JCPS says teams have mandatory water breaks every 30 minutes. If the heat index ever reaches 104 degrees all outside practices must be cancelled. The head coach of the Manual football team Dr. Lucas says, “No players have to get permission to get water (my rule.) We make sure there are water machines and trainers/managers circulating to keep our players hydrated. We also schedule 3 five minute water breaks during practice, one which is a Gatorade drink.” Gatorade is a well known sports drink best after a hard workout. The drink is made to restore electrolytes lost during

exercise to keep you hydrated. When workouts are longer than an hour and contain a good amount of endurance Gatorade is good to have with you. Keeping hydrated is important so you are able to do all you can when working out, whether that is with a team or on your own. Gabriella Torres (10, VA) a soccer player stated, “It’s crucial to drink water not only during practices but off the field. Keeping hydrated helps our body to maintain the right temperature. As we exercise we lose water so it’s very important to refuel the water lost.” Torres also shared that her coach is very serious on water breaks and encourages the soccer team to hydrate all through the day. As the summer roles on it will only get hotter. While working out or just being in the sun always stay hydrated. Drinking more water and Gatorade, rather than soda will help keep you cool on these hot summer days.

THE CRIMSON RECORD RAMPAGE AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 6

Off season no such thing as

The season never ends for some players.

WORDS BY TAYLOR BROWING AND MEREDITH BELL | PHOTO BY MADISON WADE | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

ummer for most students is the time to have fun and relax. However, for field hockey players, it is the time to start preparing for their next season. There are many local opportunities for players to be involved with during the off-season, and Manual players stayed busy. Many played in a recreational league at Mockingbird Soccer Valley, while others played more competitively. International Field Hockey Club of Kentucky (IFHCK) is one of the clubs that a lot of Manual players participate in. Anna DuFour (10, HSU) said, “I condition and I play at IFHCK. It helps to improve my skills for the season. I also try to eat healthy and run every day.” Playing at a club level helps improve the basic stick skills a field hockey player should have. There are also chances of traveling to various tournaments depending on the level the player is on. Some other Louisville field hockey clubs players can participate in include KYFHA and Stealth. The “Futures” is a national club that players are getting involved with. There are different regions

that they can be placed in depending on the state they reside in. Being a part of Futures gives players the training and the opportunity to be selected for national tournaments, and playing against some of the top players from all over the country. Kelsi White (11, CMA) participated in both the IFHCK and Futures clubs. “I almost don’t have an off-season. When school season ends I go straight into club team practices and then into Futures, but in between the practice sessions, I try to work out a few times a week, and also practice my stick skills so that I am never out of practice,” said White. Manual field hockey players work all year around preparing to be their best for the school season. Games begin as soon as school does. Because of the off-season work they do, the team feels confident about the upcoming season. Head coach Brittany Tolan said, “We expect a great season out of the varsity team. We are very talented and work hard to make a good run for a State title!”

Big Losses. Bigger Gains. The football team has lost many great players, but still has hope.

WORDS BY KALEN WINBERG | ART BY MADISON WADE | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

he duPont Manual football team lead by Coach Oliver Lucas lost 24 seniors (14 starters.) But with the hard work this summer, their season looks promising. Seniors Jacob Ulinski (12, HSU), Thomas Chapman (12, HSU), Darmontre Warr (12, HSU), Luis Thompson (12, HSU), and Quintez Sutton (12, HSU), hope to take the Crimsons to the state championship this year. “We have about 25 seniors and a more talented team. We have an extra year under Coach Lucas, so all we have to do is execute,” said Chapman. On the Offensive side of the ball the Crimsons lost 7 starters which consisted of all 5 offensive linemen. Players feel the new offensive line is young but better and is constantly improving. “They work hard, they are coachable, and they do everything coach tells them to do. They give it there all,” starting quarterback Luis Thompson said. Skilled positions are still strong with losing only one player, Fullback Marcus Helm. The Crimsons return All District running back Warr who was 3rd in the state in rushing yards last season. He plans to lead the offense and get farther into the playoffs. The Crimsons also

return starting receivers Quintez Sutton and Darnell Gardner (12,HSU) to help compliment the running game. “The offense is coming along great, we are giving it our all. We are clicking so well, even with the young offensive line.” Thompson said. Manual’s defense was ranked 4th in class 6A in running defense last season. Seven starters return with a 4 star Defensive lineman Thomas Chapman. Chapman returns from an ACL injury last season and is ready to play. “I feel stronger and better than ever, I can’t wait to step out on the field,” Chapman said. The Crimsons feel that this will be there strongest defense yet. The leading tackler on the team, Jacob Ulinski and leader in interceptions Trey Wells (12, HSU) gives the team more experience. “Our defense is all ready better than last season because we all know the system now.” Percy Minor (12, HSU) said. As the first game is rapidly coming closer, the team continues to work hard. They will play their first game on Friday August 19th at 7:30. Rams will face off the Central Yellow Jackets at Manual Stadium. “We will be ready, and we will show out.” Chapman said.

THE CRIMSON RECORD ENTERTAINMENT AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 7

Bright Eyes

Popular Indie band, Bright Eyes, visited Louisville this summer

WORDS BY ALEXX COOPER | PHOTOS BY SADIE SAYLOR | DESIGN BY ALEXX COOPER The night dripped with sweat. It's 8 PM, and Dawes is about to take the stage. It's a local band, and plenty of people are showing their support, but the real show is Bright Eyes. Connor Oberst, Rolling Stones proclaimed "god," the heartthrob of scene girls everywhere, and the rest of the band don't take the stage for another hour and a half. At nine thirty, the lights come on. Spotlights in all colors dance across the stage, and quickly swoop through the crowd before they are dimmed by the technicians. A video screen displayed shapes, colors, and the light that the band reflected back on the screen behind them. Colored spotlights drifted across the audience and the band's instruments alike, incorporating everyone in the music. Then Bright Eyes took the stage. The sky isn't dark yet, with the summer sun not quite ready to say goodbye. Perhaps it, too, wanted to see the show. When Bright Eyes took the stage, the crowd roared. It was like a movie come to life. The not-quite-crescent moon shined down on the amphitheater, and the crowd shook in anticipation. From above, as the night finally descended well into the fourth song, cell phones took the place that lighters once had in shows like this, a

technological wave of emotion as Oberst poured his music out to the hungry crowd, feeding their love. There were no "booâ&#x20AC;?'s this night. Song after song played, well past 11 PM, and the audience ate it up. At the front of the stage, a dark haired woman in a floral dress and a head scarf waved a sign, "Connor, Marry Me!" in red marker. A guy with dreadlocks and a baseball cap drew in on his cigarette in the very back, looking down at the show and smiling at everyone who passed. "It's going to be a great night," he said to passerby. "Everyone will be in good spirits." Cheers, claps, screams were deafening at the end of almost every song, especially the few songs Bright Eyes played from their older albums. Merchandise was high-priced, but the table stayed busy. Old friends reconnected after years of not seeing each other as people came from all across the state to see the show. Kids who couldn't afford tickets or who brought pets (not knowing they weren't allowed) hung out just outside the gate. As the final chords were played, and the fans screamed, the band left the stage. Over the last 4 songs, a steady stream of people slowly pulled themselves out of the music and back to their cars, sinking back into the real world.

Iroquois Ampitheatre Since the recent renovation of the Iroquois Ampitheatre in Louisville, KY, more and more bands have visited Louisville. This summer alone, Sublime with Rome, the VilleBillies, Bright Eyes, Corey Smith, Reo Speedwagon and The Decemberists preformed there. The large, open theatre lets guests enjoy the warm weather, smoke, eat, talk, and dance inside the gates. Another bonus for the guests who simply canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford ticket prices-- the sloping hills surrounding the theatre allow for guests to picnic around the park and enjoy the music.

THE CRIMSON RECORD ACADEMICS AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 8 Studies show natural sunlight improves student test performance.

lightenUP

WORDS BY ANNA DRYDEN | PHOTO BY TAYLOR SWANSON | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

alk into any classroom at duPont Manual High School and the scene is always the same. Students sit at desks, taking notes or doodling on their folders. The sound of stomachs grumbling or noses sniffling can be heard, along with the occasional cough or yawn. Every once in a while, snippets of conversation from passerby in the hallway are heard, and a few giggles escape the teacher and their students. The scent of lunch wafts through the ventilation system. The temperature of the room is as can be expected for the Ohio River Valley. There is one more thing that all classrooms have in common: something that can attract the attention of even the most diligent of students. With its constant hum, and stark, unflattering, flickering illumination, it draws student’s minds and ears like moths to a light bulb. It is fluorescent light. This bland, distraction-free environment that teachers and schools have been perfecting for years is the exact cause of the problem they are trying to prevent. A recent study done by the University of Georgia found that students who studied under natural and full-spectrum lights remembered more of the material than students who studied under fluorescent

lights. Robert Sower, a professor of educational psychology at the University of California-Davis, found through his studies that students learning in a classroom in which twenty percent of the wall space was devoted to windows scored twenty four percent better on a test than students who were taught in a room with less window space. The Human Ecological Sociological Economic (HESE) Project determined that fluorescent light can trigger symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Furthermore, they found that some autistic students are unable to tolerate the flickering illumination provided by fluorescents. Instead of using fluorescent lights all the time, or replacing all the lights with LEDs, how about a simpler solution? Just turn off those pesky fluorescents and pull up the shades! We’ve got plenty of natural light right outside and its all free--no fancy LED lights or special chemically treated lenses needed. Even better news is that Manual is already set up to be lit with natural light; up through the 1950s and into the early 60s, almost all school buildings in the United States were intentionally designed to provide sufficient interior daylight for normal daytime visual tasks. The

building we’re in today was built in 1934. We’ve all seen those signs around school from the Environmental Club telling students and teachers to turn out their lights when it’s bright out, and we really need to start taking those seriously. According to an investigation done by Pacific Gas and Electric Company for the California Board of Education, “Turning off electric lights when sufficient daylight is available can save a significant amount of lighting energy costs. Because daylight introduces less heat into a building than the equivalent amount of electric light, cooling costs can be reduced.” That’s good news for the earth as well as the school’s wallet. Even the brightest of students will struggle to pay attention at some point in the school day. Why must students fight such a difficult battle when their inability to pay attention is so easily solved? Teachers, please lift up the shades. It may not completely erase the attractiveness of daydreaming, but turning off the lights--whether students know it or not--will help both students ability to absorb course material as well as teachers to convey information to a more willing audience.

the matters of studying

JOURNALISM A degree in Journalism can be applied many ways.

WORDS BY DEVYN NANCE | ART BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

ongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” This idea followed the 51 Al Neuharth Scholars that received the one-thousand dollar scholarship to any school of their choice. Along with the scholarship, the scholars were flown to Washington for an expense free six days of being immersed in the world and experience of journalism. Throughout the conference scholars underwent many lectures and presentations by a variety of professional journalists. Each

lecture had one common question: to major in journalism or to major in something more specific? The sides were divided evenly. “Don’t study journalism in college. You need to have an area of expertise in what you report not a general knowledge of the world of journalism,” said David Gregory during a one-on-one session after a live viewing of Meet the Press. What do the experts say? Many agree that having a degree in journalism is beneficial and allows a person to be flexible in their career. “The CIA and FBI both consider journalism to be preferred training for prospective operatives and agents. Both agencies require employees to

gather information…compile it into easy-toread documents, a specialty of journalists.” (University of Miami; Coral Gables; Alexander Pearce) A degree in journalism allows the journalist to flex many key skills that are taken from other majors and combined to be used together. Many of these skills include: •Understanding/active use of social media •Quick thinking •Basic shooting and editing of video •Getting all parts of the story •Creating interactive story elements •Fact-checking •Writing (http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2009/

skills-needed-by-todays-journalists/; Skills Needed by Today’s Journalists) Majoring in journalism allows one to use any skills learned during college and from experience daily. Since journalism is a broader major it allows the student to branch out into the career of their choice. Majoring in a major such as Political Science allows for specialization , but doesn’t allow much from to do anything else, but that area of expertise. “Whether you study journalism or not, there’s still a way to succeed in the career of news. Journalism just gives you a better advantage.” Trina Williams, NPR Newscast producer.

THE CRIMSON RECORD ACADEMICS AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 9

Just do it

Summer reading gets you in gear for school.

WORDS BY COLLEEN KIDD | PHOTO BY TAYLOR SWANSON | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

he collective groan of tired students resounds off the walls of the English classroom they’ve been staring at for the past nine months. Their teacher passes out pieces of paper that would look nonthreatening to a third-party bystander. To these teenagers, however, they are the leashes that will yank them back to the safety of the academic world they are so desperate to escape. The assignments that are given during the school year at duPont Manual High School are― grudgingly―accepted by most as a necessity to the class. This is why we go to school: to learn. Work is simply part of that learning process. So, we pick up our pen, open our notebooks, turn on our computers, and churn out the homework.

From August of one year to June of the next most students labor intensely (for some, almost to the point of obsession) to do well in their classes. Late nights that lead to early mornings are common among the students of Manual. Usually during the last week of school, we receive a list of the books and the work that goes with them.We are to read the books and finish the work before the first day back to school. This is not a good day for most as it means that, even though they are almost free of the school building, its shadow still looms right behind them. Complaints spring from the mouths of the student body. In the course of the past three years I have

spent at Manual, I have heard infinitely more objections to the practice than consents. Resistance to completing summer reading is understandable. Summer vacation is exactly that―a vacation. However, at the end of the day, summer reading assignments are important to a student’s success in high school. Many of my friends would be more than happy to simply do nothing during their vacation excepts hang out with friends, go to the beach, and sleep in every day. I know people who, if not for the assignments, would never think of picking up a book from early May to mid-August. The fact of the matter is that this is important to keep your brain stimulated throughout the summer months. At our school, there is no grace period in which to gain momentum and bring back the work ethic you left behind in the previous grade. You are expected to be ready to dive right into ten-page papers and stimulating conversations. Reading and writing keep the brain taking information and processing it during the break. This better prepares us to reenter the classroom and increases tense Done our ability to do classwork well.

Assigning books to students can expose them to literature they would not choose to read for themselves. If we were not assigned to read John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, many students would not experience the narrative of an important time in our history. Many students would never read a classic play by Shakespeare if they were not assigned to us. These assignments give us the enrichment we would be missing out on if we spent our summers just sleeping in. There are those students that decide to wait until the last week of vacation to do their summer reading. They can also benefit from the requirement though perhaps not as much as those who work on it in late June and early July. Those who live to procrastinate can still get a foot in the academic door. After all, some last minute stimulation is better than no stimulation at all. Though we may not enjoy doing them, summer assignments prevent students from losing the information we have worked so hard to obtain during the year. We would fall behind and our grades would suffer. We can grumble and groan but at the end of the day, we just have to do it.

OPINIONS PPOSING

What is your opinion on summer reading assignments? “Summer reading is a difficult task to accomplish in my opinion. There are so many distractions during summer that it is easy to forget the summer reading. Every year I procrastinate the book I’m assigned to read. Reading a book that isn’t in your appeal can cause you to dread reading any word in it. That is what gets me every year. It isn’t anywhere appealing to me, and I try, but it’s boring. Not only that, but thinking about school often stresses me out. It’s summer, a lot of us refuse to even mention the word ‘school.’” –Yazmin Martinez (11, CMA)

“I think they’re a good way to have everyone coming into a class start off on the same foot, in a way. People have very diverse summer experiences but when you come in, you know everyone’s at least done that. I think they’re good―as long as they’re reasonable, not too much. Because I would be reading or writing anyway, I don’t need something that would take up ALL of my time. But I think summer assignments are effective.” –Hayden Flanery (12,HSU)

THE CRIMSON RECORD ENTERTAINMENT AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 10

in an unPoe world discovering Poe

Kelly Creagh’s Nevermore is a book worth reading. WORDS BY LAURA ANDERSON | PHOTO BY SADIE SAYLOR | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

dgar Allen Poe made his mark as a poet and author, gaining fame only posthumously. Perhaps even more famous than himself, however, are his works. To name a few: The Black Cat, William Wilson, Annabel Lee, The Bells, and, of course, The Raven. “Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore’” is likely one of the most well-known sayings from his works, with the poem itself being perhaps his most famous work out of all of them. It isn’t surprising that a recent addition to the Young Adult genre of books that sought to bring to life both it’s own story and the late Poe was entitled Nevermore. Published last August, author Kelly Creagh’s debut book serves both as an example of how the Young Adult genre is getting new ideas breathed into it, but also is an example of the faults that must be tackled in order for those ideas to shine. For starters, one need only to observe the plot to begin seeing Nevermore’s literary triumphs and shortcomings. Isobel Lanley serves as the book’s main character, a blond cheerleader who likely meets every stereotype you can think of. Her English teacher, Mr. Swanson, assigns her class “the Swanson project”, a feared assignment consisting of ten pages on a dead American author, a presentation for the class, partners are assigned, and it’s due the week of the biggest football game of the year (think of it as the equivalent of red-white week, as the school in the book is based off of Manual). Her reaction, as you can imagine, isn’t exactly thrilled. To make it even worse for Isobel, she gets assigned to be with Varen Nethers, social outcast extraordinaire in her social butterfly eyes. After all: he wears all black, has stringy hair, a lip ring, is thin as a rail, and seems

perpetually mute in class. From Isobel’s view, it can get no worse, and the sentiment is later reciprocated by Varen, who sees her as hollow and dim, with no concern for those outside of her rosy group of fellow “popular kids”–and at the beginning, he’s correct. Isobel ignores the injustices Brad does against Varen because, after all, Brad is Brad and Varen is well, creepy, right? But when Brad eventually takes it as far as destroying the the ice cream shop where Varen works, she realizes it has gone to far and, after breaking up with her boyfriend, begins to try and learn who Varen really is. However, once this early rough patches are overcome, it is easier to at least tolerate Isobel. She and Varen begin to study about Poe―their chosen author, per Varen’s early suggestion. Isobel’s knowledge is, at best, lacking on the subject; “Didn’t he marry his cousin or something?” seems to be the sum of her intellect on the famous writer. Varen, however, helps her begin to learn about the mysterious Poe, suggesting titles she should read (spoiler: she doesn’t), telling her facts as they study together, and more or less piggybacking her for the entire project. Despite this, however, Creagh slowly begins to shape the two’s expected romance, taking her time to expose various aspects of both Varen and Isobel’s personality while also showing readers that Varen’s obsessive interest in Poe isn’t random in the least. Isobel is slowly wrapped into Varen’s nightmarish dreams as they begin to take shape in reality, all stemming from Poe’s works and, it seems, Poe’s nightmares. I appreciate Creagh’s idea on the blending of Poe’s dreamworlds into reality, mainly because it’s not done that often in the book’s genre. You can easily tell that she put in a lot of

effort in terms of research in order to help the book come to life for her readers, particularly the Poe aspect of it. However, the plot suffers from cliches somewhat more often that I’d like to see―the sports star boyfriend versus the social outcast, the popular girl paired with the unpopular guy, goth versus prep stereotypes, etc. I understand that this may be due to the audience Creagh is aiming for (that is, teenagers), but such literary devices and cliches have been made use of so often that it dulls the shine of the book. Perhaps it’s not even the plot that was causing those problems―even when I was about two-thirds done with the book, I still felt Varen and Isobel were fairly flat characters. I would like to see Creagh round them out a bit more in the the later Nevermore sequels, but at the same time I’m not really sure how she can, given that she’s established them so much as what they are in this first book to a point that suddenly twisting them might seem unnatural or unable to be done well. Even with a poltergeist in the book store, ravens capturing people to take into another realm, and a witch who has sick taste in entertainment, the book still felt a little bland to me. Regardless of it’s problems, however, Nevermore took a brave stab at trying new things in a genre that’s become accustomed to seeing only vampire romances in the past few years. This book is definitely aimed at a younger audience (I actually feel it’s more of a middle school read rather than high school), but if you like romance mixed with the darkness Poe often alights our minds with, Nevermore may be just the thing you’re looking for.

my MANUAL

Creagh stated that Manual, and Louisville in general, had such a large impact on her book because, “ As I continued writing, I pictured Isobel walking the halls of my high school— Manual. Soon, I was writing about Cherokee Park, Bardstown Road and Old Louisville, too. So, rather than choosing Louisville as my setting, I think it seeped into the tale and just sort of stuck!”

young writers

What advice did Ms. Creagh have for young writers? “I think young writers (and all artists alike) should always strive to stretch beyond their comfort zone when it comes to being creative...So if there is something new you want to try with your writing or with any art-form, I think you should pursue that, especially if it’s an inkling or intuitive hunch that won’t fade. That’s how we get great art, by reaching out for something that might be there for us to uncover. Even on the off chance our end product turns out to be different or less than what we expected, the experience of trying makes us all the more well-equipped to succeed the next time. In essence, it’s through reaching and stretching ourselves that we learn what works for us and what doesn’t. And that’s how you develop voice, style and your own unique way of creating.”

THE CRIMSON RECORD ENTERTAINMENT AUGUST, 2011 PAGE 11

hearing bells for

the

END

Harry Potter takes his final stand.

WORDS BY VICKIE TANG | ART BY MADISON WADE | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

idnight, July 15th, 2011 – over millions of Harry Potter fans waited outside the doors of movie theatres all over the United Sates, anxious to see the movie they had waited so long for. People dressed in robes, scarves, and witch hats, carrying their wands; it was a magical night for many of them. Some had grown up with the 7-book series written by J.K. Rowling, while others had been simply captivated with the previous movies. This movie was final chapter to Harry Potter’s tale. The content and cinematography of the final Potter movie was amazing: enough to triumph The Twilight Saga: New Moon’s first day at the Box Office (which earned $72.2 million) with a record-breaking $92.1 million. It even won the place as #3 of all time over The Return of the King. Elizabeth Lee (10, MST) was not in the U.S. to see it on the 15th, but instead saw it the day before in South Korea. “Watching HP7P2 in Korea was a quite different experience than watching it in America. Even though I went on opening night, there weren’t a lot of die-hard fans in the theater,” she said. “The audience was very quiet throughout the whole movie, so I was left alone when I wanted to stand up and cheer. Even though we all watched the same film [throughout the world], the experience wasn’t the same as if I were watching it at Tinseltown on opening night with all my friends dressed up as HP characters.” Back in the States, when the final moments of the movie crept upon the crowd, some fans began to burst in tears, others silently mourning, even looking away in the pain of its ending. Finally, the credits began to roll. Friends comforted each other as they picked up their hats and wands and walked out. The final Harry Potter chapter had come to its end. J.K. Rowling, author of the H.P. Series at the London Premier declared heartfully, “The stories we love best do live in us forever so whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”

BRIDESMAIDS

Bridesmaids is a movie worth the ticket price. WORDS BY MALESHA GRIFFIN | ART BY MADISON WADE | DESIGN BY VIRGINIA JOHNSON

s an unofficial summer tradition, production companies release some of their best movies during the summer to be scrutinized by teenagers and young adults on break. One of these movies is the Apatow Productions movie, Bridesmaids. This comedy, starring Saturday Night Live performers Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph, with Rose Byrne, could be described as the female version of The Hangover. Young single Annie (Wiig) is taken aback when she finds out her childhood friend Lillian (Rudolph) is engaged. After becoming her maid of honor, she meets Lillian’s new friend, Helen (Byrne), who seems bent on driving a wedge between the bride and her best friend. The jealousy and competition for Lillian’s attention takes the bridal party on wild adventures. This movie could be compared to The Hangover seeing as they both follow the wild adventures of wedding parties right before their weddings. But, there are some extreme differences. It has a different, edgier humor, and it is far more inappropriate (which could easily be seen by the first scene of the movie). It has a slow beginning as well, making it hard to develop interest at first. Yet, as the movie gets going, it has its moments. One of the strongest scenes, comically, in the film takes place in an upscale bridal shop Helen takes the bridesmaids to. The shopping trip immediately follows a lunch at a sketchy restaurant Annie had chosen. As the women are trying on their expensive designer gowns, they all get food poisoning and get sick all over the boutique (and outside on the street in the bride’s case). If there was a choice of movies to see, Bridesmaids wouldn’t be a first choice, but it would definitely be a contender. It’s interesting, yet inappropriate (Rated R) and slow plot-line makes it the type of movie you would wait to see on DVD.